


Wings of a Dead Boy

by Princesspuff



Series: Hybridtology: The science of the Human Hybrid [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Kidnapping, M/M, Orginized Crime, Science used in a disturbing way, Sex in the later chapters, Slavery, Wings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-27
Updated: 2014-01-27
Packaged: 2018-01-10 05:35:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1155721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Princesspuff/pseuds/Princesspuff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Feliciano was going to meet Ludwig at the park when all of a sudden his life is changed forever. Feliciano gets kidnapped and experimented on for years. Then he gets sold to a strange man along side a girl who is terrified for her life. How is Feliciano going to react when he realizes that his new owner is actually Ludwig? And what happens next? Wings AU/ Wingtalia</p><p>Publishing this from my Fanfiction account</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

New York city, New York USA. 2007

Feliciano was barely sixteen when he died. Barely old enough to drive. Barely old enough to sense the mood in a situation. Definitely old enough to get on the right subway. Right?

Feliciano couldn't use the car today, his grandfather needed it for a doctor's appointment. His older brother was on a date, with whom Feliciano had no idea. His brother could be a very private person sometimes. So Feliciano decided to take a subway.

This wasn't his first time on a subway but that didn't mean he went there everyday. Feliciano was on his way to meet his best friend Ludwig at Central park. It was Ludwig's idea to meet in the same place that they had met all those years ago. It was special to both friends, just how special Feliciano did not know at the time.

Feliciano had to cross the entire city to get to the park though. It was too far to walk and too expensive to get a cab. So Feliciano wanted to go on the subway this time.

He had left three hours early so he could wander around the park before he saw Ludwig. Feliciano was excited to see his oldest friend and didn't want any chance of being late. But this time he was nervous too.

If not for his untimely death Feliciano would have met Ludwig and listened to his friend admit his feelings for the other man. Feliciano would have accepted them and they would have had a healthy, lasting relationship for the longest time. Possibly forever. But that is a 'what if' scenario.

One of the key factors that caused Feliciano's death was his shoelaces. They came untied after he bought his ticket. If not for the two minutes it took him to tie his shoelaces he would have realized that the subway that he jumped onto was not the right train he needed. Those two minutes just killed him.

Feliciano didn't realize he was on the wrong subway train until about one hour in. There was another mistake. If Feliciano had waited one extra stop then he would have just been a few extra minutes late.

Feliciano hopped off the train looking for a map. He had to figure out where he was. Hopefully within walking distance of the park.

As Feliciano was looking at the map six men walked into the subway station. They all looked like natural businessmen, quite normal this time of day. The men did nothing out of the ordinary. But in just a few minutes Feliciano was surrounded. If he tried to run in any direction, even onto the tracks, at least one man would catch him.

One of the men walked towards Feliciano, loosening his hands easily. He had a fist ready to punch when Feliciano saw the man's reflection in the glass. It didn't take long for Feliciano to recognize malicious intent. He quickly turned around only to see a fist coming towards his face.

If Feliciano was to be proud of any moment during this fight, it would have been his quick thinking. Feliciano waited for the fist to start moving towards him before he moved.

Feliciano let out an ear piercing shriek as he dodged the fist. The man fell into the glass, which left a sickening crunch as the glass broke.

He tried to run away, Feliciano's fight-or-flight instincts in effect. Normally Feliciano could run away from anything when he tried. And Feliciano really did try to get away. He was able to fly under one man's arms.

Feliciano was able to get to the stairs that would lead into the city before he was stopped. A man from behind him grabbed Feliciano's foot. Feliciano caught himself on his hands. But he could feel blood coming out between his fingers. His hands must have been ribbons from that fall.

"Please! Help me!" Feliciano screamed out. He was hoping that someone was standing at the top of the stairs and would come and help him. "Somebody help me!" But there was no hero to save him.

Two men held down the struggling boy. Feliciano screamed again. He must have been crying but the adrenaline was too great. He could hardly feel anything now. The only thing he really could feel was his heart breaking. It left a sickening crack behind.

Another man walked over to Feliciano and smothered his face with a wet cloth. Feliciano smelt something sickening sweet on the cloth. His last thought was a simple one, 'Ludwig, I'm sorry. I'm going to be late for your meeting.'

But Feliciano wasn't dead yet. Not really.


	2. Chapter 1

Somewhere on the Pacific coast USA, 2013

Feliciano looked up at the Northern skies. His mind was muddled and open. How long had he been sitting here? He couldn't see the sun anymore, so it must have been hours since he looked up.

His head was starting to hurt, as was his back. How could he not when his wings were pressed up against his back in one of the most uncomfortable ways. The first and last day of Feliciano's life he had woken up tied to a steel table. His back was being cut into and he was screaming.

It was only days later that Feliciano learned not to scream. He was pumped full of drugs almost every day afterwards. Just to stop his fight. But Feliciano had to know what was happening to him. Slowly he figured out that he was an experiment from men who had made human hybrids for a living, later to be sold to men with fat pockets.

But the scariest thing about this was that the men here wore masks. Not like a carnival mask but a masquerade mask. It covered almost all of the men's faces and just hid all expression. How could that not be horrifying?

After much eavesdropping Feliciano found how exactly how lucky he was. Most of the subjects would reject their extensions. But Feliciano didn't. His body did more than just accept the wings. He was able to use them. Could Feliciano fly? He had never been given the chance to find out. So it was possible but unlikely.

One day after Feliciano was put through his many daily experiments he was pumped full of drugs again, this time in a much different way. Normally they used an aerosol solution that they would spray in his face before he would be knocked out. But this time it was different. Feliciano's arm was held down as a long needle was pressed into his skin. A white syrup was injected into his arm and before Feliciano knew it he was out cold.

It must have knocked him out for days because when he woke up Feliciano's body was stiff from staying still for so long. There was a smell of saltwater and crabs. A smell that belonged to crashing waves and the Pacific ocean.

Feliciano had never before been scared of water. But after the kidnapping he became terrified. Feliciano still couldn't drink water without flinching. Most liquids made him cringe.

Behind the scent of saltwater he could smell blood and urine. The sound of countless souls crying was in the background behind a loud voice. He didn't recognize the voices, but he did recognize the tone. So it was time to get sold to the highest bidder now.

Feliciano looked around and saw men in suits everywhere. There were guns in plain view on some of the men and hidden on others. But Feliciano could recognize the outline of a gun anywhere these days.

Deciding there was nothing better to do than start counting, Feliciano leaned back against the rungs of his cage. He counted the seconds that passed by as he waited for something to happen. Anything to happen.

He was at 15,373 seconds when a man walked towards Feliciano. He had a dolly rolling in front of him. So it was his time to shine. Maybe Feliciano could escape when they let him out of his cage. It was unlikely but Feliciano kept his eyes open.

Feliciano was brought into a dark room. His caged was unlocked and he was pulled out of his cage roughly. Feliciano couldn't see the hands in front of his face, but he knew they were there. Something cold snapped around his neck, he instantly recognized it as a collar of some kind. What little clothes he had been given before were stripped of his body.

A small crying could be heard next to him but Feliciano couldn't understand it. Why was someone standing next to him? Why were they crying? Tears would do you no good in this kind of world.

Suddenly there was a ray of yellow light was thrown on him. A low voice echoed through the darkness just as murmurs began.

"Ladies, gentlemen and everything in between," the tenor voice echoed. "We move onto our next two specimens. We have," the voice seemed to let out a laugh. But it sounded more like crackles from an old speaker. "an angel boy and a demon girl. Each one made specific for your convenience. Each wing was painstakingly grown into their back. The boy has been given the wings of a dove and the girl was given raven wings."

The crying beside him must have been the girl. Poor girl, to think she must have suffered similarly to him. But he couldn't offer any kind of sympathy just yet. He was too focused on finding some way to escape. He would run the moment the lights went out.

"Each one is still a virgin in every way. Untouched and unharmed as you can see," the tenor voice said. "The usual problems of the foreign genes degrading has been fixed as of these models. They will last for anywhere from ten to twenty years longer than before.

"The price will start at four thousand to get a private screening," the tenor said. "The top three men or women to pay will be up for each specimen will be granted these screenings. You may begin."

There was a moment of utter silence. Just enough for Feliciano to be able to look around. He couldn't see anything outside of the light. He almost turned around and started running there but there was burning. The collar was burning him! Feliciano couldn't breathe. His hand reached up to try and break the metal collar around his neck but that only made the burning worse.

"The top three bidders for each specimen will now meet," the tenor voice said. "The male first."

Feliciano light went out, but Feliciano couldn't move. The collar was still burning him. He would have fallen to his knees if not for the sudden hands holding him up.

"Off to go meet your makers," a bass voice beside him said.

Oh goody.


	3. Chapter 2

One hour later.

Feliciano's breath was heavy from all the screaming he had done. His lips tasted bloody and he couldn't move his right arm correctly.. He was pretty sure that last guard had broken his arm, but he couldn't give into the pain. The pain was what proved to him that this was real. Not just a nightmare.

Feliciano spit at the door just as it was opening. His bloody spit hit a white shirt. The person walking in looked down at his shirt. Feliciano couldn't tell what the man was thinking, but he flinched, expecting another hit.

That hit did not come. Instead the man waved the guards out. His words were in a foreign language and sounded angry. The only reason the guards probably left was because they expected the stranger to hit Feliciano.

The man sat down on the floor on the opposite side of the room from Feliciano. The man just looked at the winged boy, which was different from everyone else he had seen so far.

Most people who came in to see Feliciano had demanded to see his teeth or examine his wings or other poking and prodding. Most of their touches were lingering and in all the wrong places. Of course Feliciano fought back. How else could he have gotten these injuries?

But this new man didn't do anything. He just sat on the ground, looking up at Feliciano with an unseeing stare. The man wore a mask like most people here. Only his wasn't a masquerade mask as much as a Phantom of the Opera styled mask. Some people seemed to bedazzle their masks or add white feathers. This man had done nothing, it just fit on his face.

Feliciano didn't pay him any mind as he looked down at his bound wrists. He probably looked like something out of an S&M magazine. Pathetic and helpless. Oh Feliciano cared about his looks, but not enough to hide himself. Instead he pulled on the chains on his wrists. He didn't care that someone was watching him, Feliciano wanted out.

"You're mine," the man in the corner said.

Feliciano did not answer or change his course of action. It wasn't like Feliciano was hiding his attempts as escape. He was pulling at the chains that connected him to the wall behind him. But the man made no move to try and stop Feliciano.

The man was silent for a few minutes just watching Feliciano struggle. "Did it hurt?" he asked.

"If you are trying to hit on me then try something other than, 'because it must have hurt to have fallen from heaven,'" Feliciano said angrily. He knocked himself to the ground as he tried to pull away from the walls. It was useless so Feliciano curled up into a ball and waited for something else to happen.

"I was talking about when they put on the wings," the man said.

Feliciano glanced up to look at the man. He still looked the same as just about every other man Feliciano had seen in the past few years. However he was still different at the same time. Feliciano could see the ocean in the man's eyes and blood on his lips.

"What?" he asked trying to confirm what the other man was thinking.

"Exactly what I asked."

"Of course it hurt," Feliciano said. "But why would you ask? It's not like you're going to care. All you are going to have me do is tie me down to a bed naked until you 'break my spirit.' Am I right? Or maybe you're going to sell me off to try and recuperate your losses when you're done having your dirty way with me. Just leave me alone."

The man slowly shook his head and said in the softest voice Feliciano had heard since he came here, "I would never hurt you."

Feliciano opened his mouth to ask what the man was talking about. But a guard came in and said, "Time to go."

The man stood up regretfully and said, "See you later Feli."

Feliciano watched the man leave from the floor. Feli? That was his name wasn't it. Feliciano opened his mouth and tried that name on his own lips. "Feli." It felt incomplete in his mouth. "Feli...ciano. Feliciano." Was that really what he used to be called? he hadn't used his name or tried to correct anyone who called him their 'angel' in years. It was useless.

"Feliciano," he said again. "Feliciano. Feliciano. Feliciano. Feliciano." The door was starting to close when Feliciano realized something. "Wait! How did you know that?" He screamed out the question even though the man was already long gone. He was too late now.


	4. Chapter 3

Unknown amount of time has pasted. Still night.

Feliciano had fallen asleep after he was forced inside a cage again. He used to be a very heavy sleeper, but not so much anymore. He awoke instantly when the cage was picked up. He stayed as still as possible, trying to look like he was still asleep.

"Did you hear how much this kid was bought for?" a voice asked. It had a slight boston accent.

"A couple grand right?" another voice asked. Texas accent? Interesting mix of people.

"Not just a couple. Somewhere in the fifties."

"Grand? You're kidding. Usually they sell in the teens."

"Nope. Same guy bought the matching broad."

There was a silence and Feliciano decided to open his eyes. Just a little bit. Just enough to see the blur of greys and blacks turn into white and blue. He could feel his arms grow little goose bumps as the cold hit him. It must be winter out here.

"Is it safe?" a voice asked. Feliciano tried to put the voice to a face in his mind. It had to be one of the people poking him earlier. But he couldn't figure it out. It had to be one of them. Not that women from earlier, this voice was male.

"Yeah it's safe," the texas voice said.

"Good," the voice said again. The man's voice spoke in an unknown language. No. It was known. That was German. But how did Feliciano know that? He spoke Italian and English. Not German. But he knew with his heart and soul that, this language was German.

Feliciano's cage jolted forward quickly. His eyes flashed open and his arms spread out to keep himself upright. His face was looking forward and he saw what looked like the inside of a van. Another cage was already inside with a girl inside.

Her face was covered in tears. Her eyes red, from crying and at the same time they looked like amber stones. Feliciano was caught in the gaze of those eyes as he was flung into the van.

Feliciano let out a short shout as he hit one side of the van. The door closed with a loud thunk.

That shout was echoed with more yelling in German.

Feliciano rubbed the back of his head as he sat up. His eyes were still on the girl who sat in the cage next to him. She was looking down at her toes with an intensity Feliciano couldn't understand. They were just toes weren't they?

His eyes worked their way over the rest of her body. Her hair was as dark as coal with a few highlights in her hair. The highlights were red, like... like... raspberry macarons. It was the color of red apples about to go bad. The color of a fire about to go out on a dark night. The color of an old robin's breast. Feliciano couldn't call it anything other than red.

"Are you ok?" he asked the girl softly.

"We're about to be raped, beaten and probably starved," she said still looking at her pink toes. "Do you really think I'm ok?"

"No," Feliciano said. "No you're not ok. Neither am I. But I still wish I was ok."

"I wish a lot of things," she said looking back at him. Both of their eyes met and she frowned. "Little angel boy."

"Little demon girl," Feliciano replied looking pointedly at her black wings. They matched her hair color down to the little curl popping out of the top of her head.

"That must be why he bought us both," she said. "Maybe he's going to make us have sex and then sell off the porn tapes."

Feliciano cringed. "Sorry lady but you're not my type."

"What? You like big boobs?" she asked motioning to her tiny boobs. Feliciano hadn't even noticed that they were both still naked. The moment she noticed his gaze down she quickly folded her wings around herself trying to cover up. They were large enough to fully cover herself but not that much larger. Her frame was small though so maybe that's why it was possible.

"Actually I'm gay," Feliciano said with a shrug as he leaned against the back wall of the cage. He didn't care to cover himself up yet.

Her eyes widened as she said, "Oh. Sorry."

"It's fine," Feliciano said. He looked down and asked, "You're not a homophobe are you?"

She shook her head and said, "No. My... brother was gay. I think he was my brother. It's been so long I forget my family sometimes."

Feliciano nodded. "I forgot my name," he whispered. "I didn't even realize it for the longest time. I answered to 'angel' for so long I had forgotten. But... I remembered it earlier."

The girl nodded. "It's my prayer at night," he said softly. "That I not forget who I used to be. It's slipping. Bit by bit it's starting to slip. Ii can't remember the color of my home. My brother's name. I remember I lived with my father but I think he left or died. Now I live with- lived with grandma. She's probably dead now."

"Grandpa," Feliciano said softly. "I lived with my grandpa and brother. His name was... Roma and Lovino. Lovino was dating someone I think. I had a theory but I can't remember it now. I hope they're both doing well together."

"Your brother and grandpa? Or your brother and his girlfriend?"

"Both," Feliciano said looking down. The car door opened and a driver stepped inside. The girl didn't seem to be bothered by the sudden entrance but Feliciano folded his wings around him. He wanted to run and hide from this strange person. But that wasn't who he had to be now. He closed his mouth, determined not to speak to the stranger. If that meant he would never speak again he would do that.

The girl looked at the front and asked with a determination that had only appeared thanks to her conversation with Feliciano. "What next?" she asked, her voice small but her face angry.

"What do you mean 'what next'?" the man in the front asked.

"Where are we going? What are we going to be doing? How long before you have us tied up and put in a circus?"

"To answer you questions," the man at the front said, "We are going to my home. You will be staff in my home, not to be put on display. I didn't buy you to be my slave, rather an employee. You however won't be receiving a salary and until I can trust you, you won't be leaving the premises. My home will be yours until further notice."

Feliciano shook his head, not believing the other man for a second.

The girl however seemed to sense some form of release. She was relieved at the other man's lies. Did she honestly believe that he was going to do everything that he promised? There was no way this man could be so kind.

The man did not speak again for the duration of the car ride. Neither did any of the hybrids. Feliciano out of stubbornness and the girl out of her fascination with her toes. Something that Feliciano should ask about later.

The man pulled over and turned off the car. He sat there for a minute of silence before saying, "Behave yourselves. I need to change cars and possibly find you two a set of clothes." He opened the door and closed it with a loud thunk.

Feliciano looked at the girl and said, "What is your name?"

"Felicia Alice Verme," she said. "You told me that you almost forgot your name. Was is it?"

"Feliciano," the boy said. "That is all I can remember at the moment. Interesting that they are so similar though."

Felicia paused before nodding. "Do you have a shortened version of your name? Or were you always called Feliciano?"

"Feli I think," he said. He didn't feel like mentioning that he only remembered his name because of the man from before.

Felicia nodded and twiddled her fingers for a few minutes before turning her attention back to her toes. She wiggled them a little as she starred with such intensity.

"Why are you always looking at your toes?" Feliciano asked finally.

The girl paused in confusion to look up at Feliciano with a stunned face. She looked down at her toes again and only stared. Feliciano thought she hadn't heard him and was about to ask again when she answered.

"I used to model," she said. "Not like fashion but I would take pictures of myself of my friends and I would sculpt them out of clay or plastics. Sometimes I would use metal. But since I can't do that anymore I sculpt with my mind. I find it to be the best way to spend my time you know."

Feliciano nodded and looked down at his own toes. He tried to remember what he used to do. It was difficult but when he closed his eyes he could still hear the sound of paint brushing up against the canvas. "I painted," he said softly.

Those were the last few words that were spoken inside the car, waiting for the return of their captors.


	5. Chapter 4

Same place. Same time. Different point of view.

Ludwig tried not to make eye contact with anyone, an easy feet with this mask on even if it only covered half of his face. He needed to find his brother and get some clothes for the two in his car. He needed to rub it in Gilbert's face that he had done it. Feliciano was safe and sound, well not completely safe. His life would never be the same but Feliciano was alive.

Ludwig found his brother sitting on a truck bed laughing with his three friends and sometimes lovers. Gilbert was the cleaner around here. His clothes were spreyed with blood and oil from whatever his last mission was. His mask would have covered his entire face if it was even on his face. Gilbert was the only albino in a hundred mile radius around here. The mask was just to scare the lights out of any man who dared try to hurt him.

"Brother," Ludwig said looking at the albino man. "We need to speak."

The silver haired man sat up and looked at Ludwig. In one hand was a bottle of beer, half empty, in the other was his removed mask. "Wha' you want Lutz," he asked talking to the mask. His friends tried to hide their laughter. "Can't you see we're tryin' to have some fun. You haven't been fun in years." He swayed in his seat, falling over on the truck bed. His friends fell to the ground in laughter.

"Very funny," Ludwig said rolling his eyes . "But I found something you might be interested in."

"Mus' be a dog of s'mthun," Gilbert said trying to stand up. He fell back once before actually standing. "Only thing you're int'rested in these days are dogs. Not since- ya know who." Gilbert braced himself for the usual punch he would have gotten. Gilbert stayed in his braced position for a minute before peeking behind his hands. "Ya aren't hittin' me?"

Ludwig shook his head and started walking towards the car. Gilbert would see soon enough.

"Wha'ch'ya showin' me?" Gilbert asked with his usual sway.

Ludwig opened the door to reveal the naked Feliciano and Felicia in their cages. At first Gilbert seemed to only see Felicia, confused that his brother had just turned straight? But when Gilbert turned his head slightly he instantly recognized the beaten boy. He would know that hair curl anywhere. The sight instantly sobered him up.

"Holy Mother Fuckin'God is that-" Ludwig closed the door and slammed his brother's head against the door to shut him up.

"Watch your tongue," Ludwig said. Normally he didn't have a care in the world for foul language, but Feliciano did. Feliciano was a God fearing man and hated swearing, last Ludwig remembered. However Feliciano's actions recently might have said otherwise. "Yes it is him."

Gilbert looked wide eyed at his brother. No wonder Ludwig hadn't taken off his fuckin' mask. He was among friends, no one would rat him out here. But Feliciano was a different story. Gilbert dropped the beer bottle and put on his mask again.

"What the hell Ludwig?" Gilbert asked. "He was dead and you brought him back to life?"

"I knew he wasn't dead," Ludwig said. "We both did. In case you haven't noticed he is-" Ludwig took his brother's arm and pulled him away from the van. He didn't want Feliciano accidentally hearing this.

"He is very much alive in there," Ludwig said. "He was kidnapped by The Scientists. I thought I smelt a rat when we were at his funeral."

Gilbert stood there in silence. Feliciano was alive, this changed everything. He rubbed his head and said, "You do realize they're going to be coming after you for stealing him right?"

Ludwig shook his head. "I bought Feliciano. The Scientists can't do crap about it."

Gilbert groaned and sat down on the dirt ground. Was this really happening? "Alright," he said taking a deep breath. "What was the broad for anyways?"

"I needed a maid," Ludwig said with a shrug. "That's why I was at the slave market. The humans were up next, I came to early. Which was just fine if you asked me."

Gilbert nodded and looked up at his younger brother. He hadn't seen Ludwig this happy since Feliciano first went missing. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I was hoping you could get me some clothes for them?"

"Clothes sold separately?" Gilbert joked. "Lucky for you I just had to get rid of a broad earlier. I probably have some clothes in my trunk. Blood free. Might be a little show-y though. She was a hooker."

Ludwig nodded and followed Ludwig back to the car. "Anything for the boy?"

Gilbert smirked and put his mask on top of his head. He went up to the lock box towards the front and opened it up. "Hey Antonio," Gilbert said. "You always keep a spare set of clothes for your boyfriend right?"

"Yeah," the drunken spaniard said. "I'm not given 'um to you. Lovi would be pissed."

Gilbert shot Antonio the bird before saying, "At least get me some pants or something."

Antonio grumbled as he got out of his seat in the dirt and went to go get some jeans from the car.

"That's the best I can do for you," Gilbert said tossing Ludwig a blood covered bag. "Should work nicely around the girl's..."

"Wings," Ludwig said.

"Mon ami!" the third man said sitting up. "Did you say wings? Was that what they were selling! Paurve de moi! Woe is me! I missed angels? Or were they demons?" The man pretended to cry. "How much would you like for one or two?"

"Not happening Francis," Ludwig said. He tried not to think of how much money he spent on getting Feliciano and the girl out. How were their names so similar anyways?

Antonio came back with a pair of jeans in his hands. "You can use these," he said. "Although I can't promise you that they'll fit anyone. Lovi has this really cute butt, but it's so small. Sometimes I wonder why-"

"Shut it Toni!" Gilbert said. "We don't want to hear about you having sex with your boyfriend until I've had a few more drinks. Then you can tell us how tiny that kid's butt is."

Antonio pouted before tossing Gilbert a drink.

Ludwig took this as a sign to leave and went back to the car. He didn't have a shirt for Feliciano, but that was alright. Last he remembered Feliciano was always cool walking around naked.

Ludwig opened the car doors and looked at the two inside.

"Who was that from before?" Felicia asked softly. "He seemed... surprised. Are you going to sell us to him? I don't think I could handle some guy like him. And I thought you said that we were going to be working for you."

"Gil was just checking to make sure he had clothes your size," Ludwig said. He removed the clothes from the blood bag and tossed them at the girl. They hit the bars before falling to the floor. "You'll change again later." He set the clothes down in front of Feliciano, only realizing afterwards that might have been seen as a sign of favoritism.

Feliciano reached for the pants and put them on silently.

"No bra," Felicia muttered as she slipped on the revealing clothes. At least they covered her vagina and nipples, she thought. Feliciano had been given a low cut tank top. It hardly fit over her bust and ripped under the pressure of her wings. But other than that they looked well. "Are we allowed out now?"

"Under normal circumstances no," Ludwig said. "However I need to change cars and I can't trust most of these men with transporting either of you two. So you're going to have to walk. Which means these are in order. You put them on and you walk free. You don't and you're shot."

He tossed two silver collars through the bars. Felicia picked up the collar and studied it. She had seen enough of these things from the escapees back at the ;abs to know what they were. They looked like normal animal collars but stung like a bitch. The press of a button would send you into a writhing mess on the floor, crapping your pants. It was a experiences she was not fond of seeing, but recognized instantly. She put the collar on without hesitating, she would rather be shocked than killed.

"Well?" Ludwig asked looking at Feliciano.

"No," was the only word he said. Feliciano didn't even touch the collar. Felicia might have only seen the effect of the collars but Feliciano had lived it first hand. He knew how much they hurt. How paralyzed you could be after prolonged exposure. He knew what it felt like to be awake from the shock, but feeling everything they did. He shivered at the memory and looked at the wall. He would rather be shot than experience that again.

Ludwig opened Felicia's cage and pulled her out by the hand. "Stay still," he said programing the collar quickly. "You move in any way other than breathing this will paralyze you." Felicia stood her ground and nodded.

"Yes sir," she said sarcastically.

Ludwig admired the girl's obedience, but disliked her sass. He turned his attention to Feliciano in the car. "Put on the collar and get out," he said. "Now."

Feliciano shook his head and stared ahead. He knew a bluff when he saw one. This man spent good money on the two as a pair. One cannot be a pair so without Feliciano the girl was useless.

Ludwig reached between the bars and grabbed Feliciano around his neck. "You put on the collar or else I'll squeeze until you're passed out and I have to carry you over my shoulder. Understand?" He started to squeeze before Feliciano could even give an answer. He hated having to do this, but he needed Feliciano to understand he meant business.

Feliciano gasped and brought his hands up to wrap themselves around Ludwig's hands. No one had ever touched him this way, and while he knew the action was one of rage, he liked it. Feliciano scratched at the big hands. He would not yield.

Ludwig stayed like this for a while, watching Feliciano look like he was fighting for his life. Ludwig knew the signs of when someone was about to die from suffocation or pass out from asphyxiation. He knew when to stop, else he kill the boy he did all of this for. And he did, allowing Feliciano to fall back into his corner of the cage, holding his neck that would surely be bruised.

"Put on the collar," he said as a final warning.

Feliciano gasped for a moment before looking back at the mask in front of him. He did not fear for his life, but he did fear for the rest of himself. So he took the silver collar and placed it around his neck, not bothering to lock it.

Ludwig reaching in and tightened the collar around Feliciano's neck. A reminder of who was boss. He opened the door and said, "Get out and keep your head down. Turn your head up once and I will shock you down to hell and back."

Feliciano struggled to stand up properly as he followed the other two. His head was turned down, but his eyes were staring at the back of the man's head in defiance. He would not be broken.

Ludwig lead the two to a more casual car compared to the unmarked van behind them. This was a porsche panamera gts. The car was built for speed and low clearance. Ludwig opened on of the doors and motioned for the two slaves to get inside.

"Watch your head," he said before going around to get in on the driver's side. Ludwig was finally taking Feliciano home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Francis works in the 'market' as an economist if you will. He buys products (guns, slaves, drugs, whatever he finds value in) and sells it for a profit.


	6. Chapter 5

Miles away, hours later- closer to noon.

Feliciano always woke up at the slightest sound. But put him in a car and Feliciano could sleep through almost anything. When he finally woke up, many hours later, he was laying on the girl's lap. She was gently brushing his hair back with her fingers. Some people might have considered this romantic, but it was closer to petting a dog on your lap. Feliciano didn't mind the kind touch. He did mind however that Felicia was talking.

"So that's why," She said softly. At least they were trying to be considerate of Feliciano.

"He was more than a friend and I will never forgive myself for what happened," the man up front said.

"I don't think he remembers anything." There was a silence up front. What were they talking about? He understood that he had missed something but he wasn't sure what.

"I know," the man up front said finally. "Maybe that's for the best."

"Can you really do that? Live next to him, remembering everything. But unable to talk to him?"

"What are you talking about?" Feliciano interjected. He opened his eyes when he felt the car suddenly swerve.

"Nothing," the voice up front snapped.

Feliciano decided to drop the subject. He didn't want to talk to the man anyways.

Felicia on the other hand did want to keep talking. "We were talking about our new home Feliciano."

"Not a home," Feliciano interrupted. He had no place of settling in here or there. Feliciano was tired, and wasn't sure how long he was going to last in this life. Hybrids weren't meant to live long.

Felicia ignored the man and continued talking. "We're going to be doing exactly as Lu- he told us. Employees mostly. Probably gardeners or maids or something."

The man up front sighed and said, "Most likely you'll be put on kitchen staff or something like that."

"I can't cook," Feliciano said. "I used to, but I doubt I can do that anymore."

"Cooking is like riding a bike," the man said. "You never forget."

"I doubt it," Feliciano said shaking his head. He sat up with a sigh and looked out the window. "How far away are we?"

"Not far now," the man said. "Just a few minutes or so."

Feliciano nodded.

Felicia groaned and looked at the two. She was frustrated about something that Feliciano had no idea about. "Mister," she finally said. "You never told us your name. Or are we gonna call you Master or something like that. I don't like calling you mister though. It's not as fun."

The man looked out the window and sighed. "Henry," he said. It wasn't a lie but it also wasn't the truth. His full name was Ludwig Henry Beilschmidt. Most people called him Henry these days, he hated his old name. Only Gilbert was allowed to call him Ludwig. "Just Henry."

"Henry," Feliciano whispered to himself. It sounded so familiar, yet at the same time it didn't. "Hey. You never told me where you heard my name?"

"It was in the notes I was given about your report," Ludwig said.

"So you know I only have a few years to live," Feliciano said coldly. "So does she. But no doubt you're going to live longer. You're younger. So maybe you have ten years on you. I have maybe three if I'm lucky." Feliciano laughed humorlessly.

Ludwig didn't look at Feliciano. He wasn't given any notes about what Feliciano went through. He was hoping that Feliciano would live longer than that though. Longer than just a few years. But then again Feliciano had been missing for a few years so it would make sense.

Felicia didn't say anything, she knew that Feliciano was right. She was lucky, she would probably live a healthy life. Feliciano was going to die painfully and sickeningly. She had seen rejection happen enough in her short time with those horrid people.

"We're here," Ludwig said pulling up to a large house. It looked like one of those houses that Bill Gates belonged in. Felicia half expected to be greeted by the full staff as Henry got out.

Ludwig sighed and opened the door for the two to get out. "My house has two stories above ground. Three stories below ground. You can have any room you want that is open. Kitchen is on the ground floor. Most of my staff lives below ground. And since it's three in the morning we should get some sleep. The housekeeper can give you jobs in the morning."

The two hybrids followed Henry through the house. They were brought down a long hallway. Bedrooms and bathrooms were pointed out. Henry sighed and gave them a warning about sensors in the collars yada yada yada. He said goodnight and left them to their own business.

Feliciano stopped at one door and sighed. "I'll sleep here."

Felicia was about to follow Feliciano into his room when she was stopped by a hand.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Well I thought we were going to share a room."

"Why?" Feliciano asked shaking his head.

"Well I thought that... I thought that we were friends."

"We- I," Feliciano sighed. He rubbed his forehead. "This is my first bed in years. Get your own Felicia. You can have the room next to mine if you want. Or maybe the one across the hall. Or maybe closer to the bathroom. Isn't that what most girls like? Being closer to the bathroom."

Felicia's eyes watered. "Oh," she said. "I guess that's a good reason to want your own room. I just... I just thought that since we went through the same thing... we could keep the nightmares away."

Feliciano sighed as he saw her. She looked like she was about to break down and cry. He hated when people cried. It was annoying and wouldn't do anything. "I want my own bed," Feliciano said. "But if you want you can take the blankets off the bed and sleep on the floor."

"Thank you," Felicia cried running past Feliciano and going straight to the bed. She took the blankets off the bed and curled up in them. "I'm a brown caterpillar," she murmured as she rolled herself in the blankets on the floor.

Feliciano almost smiled for a moment. That was actually kind-of cute. How was she so innocent after everything she went through?

Feliciano took off his shirt and stretched his wings out. He laid down on the bed so that his wings were outstretched. He had always dreamt of sleeping like this. He always imagined it would be so comfortable.

The moment Feliciano hit the sheets he fell asleep. Feliciano wasn't even on the bed properly. His head was where his hands would be. He wasn't even touching the beautifully fluffy pillows. His care feet were hanging off the feet. Most people would say that Feliciano was just tired, or he wanted to be silly with how he was positioned. But the truth was Feliciano forgot how to properly sleep in a bed. He just wanted to sleep there.


	7. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Henry is used when Feliciano is in the room/ in his mind. Ludwig is his actual name though. Henry is the name of Holy Roman Empire in a way.

Feliciano's eyes shot open in panic. What was going on? Why were they kissing? Was this even a kiss? Feliciano locked his body into one position and watched the man kiss him. Oh sure he could have easily enjoyed it, but he didn't want to give Henry the satisfaction.

Ludwig already had satisfaction though. Feliciano was following his order of no biting. Maybe because he was scared of Ludwig. It was unlikely but possible all the same.

Ludwig shifted Feliciano's hands into Ludwig's left hand. He reached down with his right and forced Feliciano to open his jaw. Feliciano didn't resist and Ludwig took advantage. His tongue wove its way through Feliciano's mouth trying to memorize everything. He wanted to remember this for as long as he could. Something to remember when the nights were long and the days were lonely. It was unlikely he would ever kiss Feliciano again.

Feliciano's body had a mind of it's own. His chest was arching into Henry's. His eyes were starting to tear up. He couldn't figure out why, but he was crying. Feliciano didn't cry. At least he hadn't in a long time.

Ludwig pulled back roughly and let go of Feliciano. Feliciano's body crumpled into a pile on the ground staring up at Ludwig blankly.

"I won't kiss you again," Ludwig said getting down to Feliciano's height. Ludwig suddenly felt bad for what he had done. But that didn't mean he took it back. His heart was pounding in his chest. The one thing he wished he had been able to do with they both knew each other. Well it wasn't Ludwig's only goal. But it was a major one.

Feliciano ground his teeth together and swung his leg up. He wasn't expecting to hit anything. Just scare the freak away from him a little bit. Just enough so that he could get his head together.

Feliciano's foot came into contact with something hard. There was a nasty crunch and Feliciano's foot instantly started hurting. But he didn't care. He put his legs under him and got ready to run. However Henry's hand on his bruised leg stopped him.

Henry slammed the boy down on the ground underneath him and hissed.

"Why would you do that?" he growled to the boy under him. "I did- you know what? Forget it. You have work to do Feliciano. See that you tell Edelstein where you've injured yourself. He'll be here shortly."

Ludwig stood up and brushed off his shirt and pants. He gave Feliciano one last glance before walking towards his office he had work to do.

Feliciano curled up under himself and fought off the tears. No more tears. No more tears. No... more... Feliciano hid his face as he tried to forget. Not the sexual harassment, no the kiss was fine. But that kiss brought on a wide assortment of memories.

All of which were centered around a young man by the name of Ludwig no last name. A person Feliciano couldn't remember very well. He couldn't remember what he looked like. Or what his last name was. He couldn't remember if Ludwig had a family or not. But Feliciano could remember Ludwig's hand on his head as they laughed. His voice when Feliciano messed up. Feliciano could remember Ludwig's laugh. But most importantly Feliciano could remember how much he loved Ludwig. And that hurt more than Feliciano would ever care to admit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The shortest chapter out there, I swear it!


	8. Chapter 7

Feliciano crawled over to the wall and waited for something else to happen. Maybe a giant ape would appear out of nowhere and put Feliciano out of his misery. Maybe someone would come by and shoot him in the head. Maybe Felicia would come by and finish the job that she had interrupted, cut him loose or die trying.

"Feliciano," a distant voice called out. "Feliciano!"

He curled into a ball facing the wall; his wings form a protective barrier around him. He wanted to feel safe and warm but these things on his back were cold and hollow. They were a symptom of the madness he was trying to protect himself from.

"Leave me alone," he muttered to himself. He wanted to think about Ludwig and how much he wanted to die. Maybe Ludwig had died and he would see Ludwig in heaven. Maybe even hell. Feliciano hoped that Ludwig wasn't in hell. He couldn't imagine someone as nice as Ludwig going to hell.

"Feliciano," a voice said with a breath of relief. The sound of soft breaths got closer to Feliciano's ear as the voice got closer.

Feliciano tensed up as he waited to be touched or hit. Some form of unwanted physical contact. Maybe Henry had come back for another kiss- if you could call it that.

However the contact never came.

"Feliciano my name is Roderick Edelstein," he said. "I've come to make you work. However I was informed of your injuries and told to take care of you instead. Can you stand?"

Feliciano shook his head and pulled his legs closer to his chest. He was not going to move. He was not going to get up. He didn't want to be touched. He wanted to leave and find a quiet place to die. He wanted to find Ludwig and go to heaven and just get away from this life.

There was the sound of clothing rustling before everything stopped. Only the sound of a steady heart and soft breaths could be heard. He had a feeling that the being next to him was sitting with him.

Ten thousand nine hundred fifty two seconds passed and still nothing happened. Feliciano threw his tantrum and the man waited patiently for him to calm down. For all that man knew it was going to be days before Feliciano moved.

When Feliciano had calmed down slightly he peaked over his shoulder. He wondered why the man beside him hadn't attacked him. Feliciano could see why the moment he saw the man.

Mr. Edelstein was a young man with deep auburn hair a mole on the side of his face. He square glasses that rested just below the bridge of his nose. He had a cowlick at the top of his head pointing to the heavens. And the moment Feliciano saw the man he could only imagine this man sitting at a piano for the entirety of his life rather than working for a mob boss. It almost made Feliciano laugh. Almost.

"I see you're still alive," the man said carefully.

"I see you're still here," Feliciano rebutted. "Why? There must be something you should be doing today."

"We had new employees arrive last night," the man said as though it was average for prisoners to walk into the home. Maybe all the employees here were prisoners at one time or another. "It's the duty of the head butler of the house and the head maid to train new staff so that they are competent with their jobs. Your friend is being taught by my wife as we speak and I have to be as patient with you as I can. Normally I would have dragged you away from this wall and told you to man up. However I was given explicit instructions to take my time with you, as for a reason I have none."

"Oh," Feliciano responded. "I wouldn't have imagined I would get the royal treatment." His sarcasm dripped from his lips.

"This is hardly the royal treatment. Now are you done being a baby or are you ready to do something productive?"

"I'm not a baby."

"You could have fooled me."

Feliciano scowled and got up carefully. He stood carefully so as not to stand too heavily on his bruised leg. He cradled his purple arm against his chest and looked at the man. He could only imagine how Feliciano looked right now.

"Hmmm," the butler said. "I think I understand now. We should have you examined before you start your chores. Follow me." Edelstein walked down the hall in the opposite way that Henry had left from.

Feliciano limped behind trying to keep up with the butler. He almost lost the man somewhere in the endless halls, but with a loud whistle he found his way back.

"You're loud," Feli muttered.

"Only with incompetent staff."

"I'm new."

"And incompetent. Don't argue with me. I already think you're a whining child, ruled by your emotions and prone to self-destruction. It's hard for me to think any less of you than I do already. It is possible, and will be very easy if you slack off or show me how stupid you are. Prove me wrong, I dare you."

Feliciano said nothing, as he was lead into a white room. There was a bed in the center of the room with cabinets lining the back walls. There was a large window to the right and a small fire. It was obvious that this room was well used based on the level of cleanliness in the room. If there was one thing that Feliciano knew well, it was what labs meant.

"Are you going to vivisect me?" Feliciano asked as though he was asking about the weather.

"No, we're going to make sure that you haven't broken any bones yet and get you stitched up for work," a female voice said softly. A young girl walked out from a bathroom. Her blonde hair was cut short into a bob that looked like it belonged on a girl. Her green eyes seemed to shimmer with a sense of vagueness that reminded Feliciano of the stoned hybrids he had seen, watching the stars as a means of escape.

Feliciano felt a sudden warmth in his hand as he was pulled towards a bed. He was told to lie down and he responded. He was reminded of the thousands of times he was told to lie down and shot up. Four hands were pressed down onto his chest as he struggled to get away.

"Stop it!" the girl said. "Stop it right now!"

"Control yourself Feliciano," Edelstein commanded.

Feliciano only struggled more.

"Get the anesthetics," the man said.

Two hands disappeared and Feliciano wondered if he had a chance. He thrashed his arms around as he came in contact with skin and clothing. Maybe he could get away. There was a window here right. Maybe he could crash through and death would welcome him. Or he could try to fly! He had never tried before but these wings couldn't just be for show.

That was when he felt a sharp stinging in his arm.

"Really? You thought… you thought that… damn. that's some strong stuff," Feliciano murmured before falling backward into the bed. But he was still awake, his mind was just muddled. He tried to keep his eyes open. To glare at the people around him.

"I didn't think he was going to do that," Edelstein muttered.

"It's understandable after everything he's been through," the girl said softly, her voice reminded Feliciano of a rabbit. How odd, he hadn't thought of animals outside of hybrids in years.

"Are you sure…" It was too hard to hear the rest. A soft fog was engulfing Feliciano's mind making it impossible to think.

"Shush you, I'm going… I'm gonna," were Feliciano's last words before falling into the fog.

It was hours later when Feliciano woke up. His mind was still foggy, but he was becoming more aware of where he was. He could hear voices: three girls and a man. It was… Edelstein. And that girl that was in here before… and Felicia. And he couldn't pick out the other voice.

Feliciano debated showing them that he was awake but he thought it would be better to just lie low and pretend to be sleeping.

"... Many injuries," the rabbit voice said.

"Well he was in there for years," Felicia responded.

"You don't understand though, he has scar tissue on almost half of his body," the rabbit said. "To build up that much scarring meant that he fought and he lost every single battle. His esophagus lining his nearly gone, the enamel on his teeth have worn away. A quarter of his bones show signs of remodeling, most of his fingers looked crushed."

"What does that mean?" the other voice said. Her voice sounded rough, she had a deep accent that Feliciano couldn't place. It reminded him of a brass instrument of some kind. Maybe a trumpet or trombone.

"He was beaten," the rabbit said. "A lot. He has the symptoms of being bulimic. His fingers are useless the way the master always went on about. He will probably never paint again, he is lucky that he can walk up right."

There was a silence.

"I can't even guess what happened phscologically to him," the rabbit whispered.

"He isn't the Feliciano that Lud-" the unknown woman said.

"Henry," Edelstein corrected quickly.

"Henry knew. He has changed and the master needs to get over his grief and move on. This toy was not worth the money he spent."

"You obviously haven't seen him since the angel came home," Edelstein said.

"No I haven't," the voice responded.

"He is kind."

"No he's not," the woman said with a laugh. "He is cruel and he is distant. He has always been everything but kind."

"He asked me to tell you your job."

"So?"

"He asked. Not ordered."

"What?" the rabbit asked.

"He is becoming kind."

"That was one example," the woman said. "That is no where near enough to prove that he has become kind."

"He was nice to us in the car," Felicia murmured. "He got us clothes and he handed them to Feliciano, which he explained why later. Sort of. He mentioned that-" there was a mumbling suddenly.

"Right," Felicia continued. "Either way he seemed almost soft when we were driving together."

"He is a monster," Feliciano muttered, forgetting that he was pretending to be asleep.

"I knew you were going to wake up soon," the rabbit said.

"I've been awake for a while," Feliciano said opening his eyes. He tried to sit up but realized that he was tied down. Something was constricting his chest as tried and push himself up; his hands were bound too.

Feliciano turned his head and saw a tall woman standing next to had long brown hair flowing over her shoulder. Her eyes seemed to glare at Feliciano as he looked at her. She looked like she could crack concrete with that glare of hers. Feliciano suddenly felt like they could get along, even if she was scary.

"Who are you," Feliciano asked.

"I am the head mistress of the house, Elizaveta Edelstein and your superior so don't you dare forget it."

"And you?" he asked looking at the younger girl.

"I'm the nurse here at the manor," the girl with the rabbit voice said. "My name is Lili Elza Yogel."

"You're really young to be a nurse," Feli said.

"I didn't finish nursing school, most of it was home schooling."

"Oh. Can I be let out now? I promise to behave," Feliciano said trying to look as innocent as he could.

"No," Edelstein said. "You are a danger to my workers. You're going to be tied up here until you are healed unless I am told otherwise. Henry already knows exactly where you are and what you've done. He agrees with my decision and you are to stay here until you are fit for duty. Lili will take care of you so you better to be good to her unless you want her brother with the gun fetish to come and visit you in the night."

Feliciano wasn't scared but he felt liked he needed to be. He pulled harshly on his bonds twice before giving up temporarily. "Fine," he said.

"We'll be back for you later," Edelstein said walking out the door with his with and Felicia following.

Lili sighed and pulled out a rolling stool from under a counter and a book.

"What are you reading?"

"It's a book on how to treat different head injuries."

"Oh," Feliciano said. That sounded boring. Why couldn't it be a book on fairytales or something? After a minute of silence he asked, "Can you read it out loud?"

Lili looked up from her book before sighing.

"Because these inner vessels are smaller than outer-"

"What's the context?" he asked.

"Subdural hemorrhage and hematoma."

"Can you start from the beginning of that section?"

"In the subdural hemorrhage blood leaks from vessels in the dura mater-"


	9. Chapter 8

Two Months later, same place.

"Once a long time ago there was a kingdom, it's name lost to the ages, that was ruled by three brothers. Each called themselves king yet none of them knew true power. Every year on the first day of snow the brothers gathered in the great hall of their capital to decide who was going to rule for that year. Every year their arguments were always the same. The first brother always argued that it was his birthright to rule over the kingdom and that he should be the one in charge. The second brother always argued that he had the strength to protect their kingdom for any threat that could have possibly threatened their realm. The third brother always argued that he was the smartest of the three and could outwit any of them in a single conversation. Thus the three brothers went no where and simply went in order of their age; the eldest ruled one year then the middle and then the youngest.

"Each year the kingdom grew more and more restless with discontent at having a new ruler every year. Change was on the horizon and it did not look good for the brothers and their rule.

"As the years went by the eldest brother found a wife in the form of a young countess. She was a young woman with skin like ebony and hair the color of fire. Her husband claimed that she was the most beautiful in all the world and she was too shy to agree or disagree.

"As the yearly spat came around her husband grew restless at the thought of loosing his crown for another two years.

" 'I grow tired my love,' he confessed to his wife one day. 'The people hate my usual spats with my brothers that go no where. Every year is the same arguments over and over again. The people can sense our weakness and I fear the worst.'

"His wife sighed and clicked her tongue as she took his hand. She gave him a simple idea that blossomed in his head into what would bring an stop to this unending fighting. 'All I ever hear in your meetings is endless talk. You never prove your points.'

"As the day of the first snow came around the brothers sat down in their throne room and began their usual arguments.

"'I am the smartest so I will lead us,' the youngest brother said.

"The eldest brother smiled at his brother and said, 'I agree with you. Never once have I seen such talent and skills as I have seen with your tongue brother.'

"The second brother was silent as he watched his awe at had just occurred.

"'So you do believe that I should rule,' the youngest said.

"'But of course!' the eldest said. 'I think that the crown belongs on the head of the smartest of us. But it also belongs on the strongest of us. And the most honorable of us. Thus I have devised a test for us to take on who is the strongest, smartest and most honorable of us all.'

"This put a silence on his brothers mouths for only a moment before their roars of disapproval echoed throughout the halls of their castle.

"The eldest held up a single hand and spoke the truth. Of the rumors that were spreading in the kingdom's walls of anarchy and distaste among the people. They wanted a stable rule not laws that changed every year because three brothers couldn't choose who was going to be king. The two brothers begrudgingly agreed to the test without realizing what the test actually was.

"The brothers went to their rooms to sleep and prepare for the unknown test to dream.

"As the two youngest brothers couldn't fall asleep in their rooms for obvious reasons. During the night each was visited by the king's wife.

"She offered each of the brothers a glass of wine to help them get to sleep. She told them that her husband tired of the crown and planned to throw the competition. Both brothers laughed and took the drink. She backed out of their room quietly and warned them that only one brother would survive the test.

"When the king came to get his brothers he found both of his brothers dead. He turned to his wife for comfort but she told him that wine would calm his nerves from his shocking discovery. The king fell over dead the instant the wine touched his lips.

"She laughed at her husband's dead body and said, 'It appears that I am the smartest for coming up with this plan, strongest for having the strength to kill you and honorable by saving the kingdom for you tyrants.'

"The queen ruled an era of peace and stability, the first the kingdom had ever known."

"Well that was a lousy fairy tale," Feliciano complained digging his nose into his pillow taking comfort in the softness. "Why did you pick that one to read to be? There wasn't a happy ending."

Felicia groaned and slammed the book in her hands and set it down on the bed next to Feliciano. "Apparently Henry is more interested in nonfiction than fairy tales. Not even a Brothers Grimm book was in the endless stacks of books in his library. This was all I could find in there that was fantasy related."

"It was a story of a wife betraying her husband to get power," the bedridden man groaned. "There wasn't a happy ending at all."

"Have you ever read the original Cinderella? The step sisters cut off their toes. Not all fairy tales have happy endings. Besides the queen had a happy ending."

"She killed her husband."

"She could have been unhappy with him. A woman doesn't need a man to keep her happy. Besides she ruled the kingdom in peace. The people must have been happy."

Feliciano sighed realizing he wasn't getting anywhere with Felicia. "What was it called again?"

"The Test of the King," Felicia said shaking her head.

There was a knock on the door as Lili opened it. "Hello Felicia," she said. "Elizaveta was looking for you. You should get going before she finds you in here again."

Felicia nodded and picked up her book before turning to Lili. She waved good bye to Feliciano before leaving to go and help Elizaveta before Elizaveta got mad at her.

Feliciano looked at Lili and sighed. "Can I get up yet?" he asked.

"You know the answer to that Feliciano," Lili said shaking her head. "I don't have the key. Henry does. When he comes to dismiss you from the bed you will be able to get up and start working."

"It's been two months since I got tied to this bed."

"You had to heal from the injuries that you inflicted on yourself. Not to mention Henry is a very busy man."

"Please let me out Lili," Feliciano said fluttering his eyes and Lili hoping that she would give in one of these days.

"No," she said going over to her book stack and pulling out a green book and flipping to a seemingly random page.

Feliciano busied himself by counting the ticks from a clock on the wall. It was one of those really old analog clocks with the swinging bronze pendulum. It was always half a minute off by his count. However it wasn't that far off as it could have been.

He counted 19,637 seconds before there was a loud knock at the door. Lili looked up from her book with a start. She instantly got the door and pulled it open with a loud bang, slamming the door. Feliciano wondered in the back of his mind if there was going to be a dent in the wall.

"Get him on the cot next to the bed," she said, the soft rabbit tone in her voice was replaced by that of a wolf. Mad and deranged, Feliciano had to stretch to make sure that he was still listening to the same person speak. Lili held herself up straight as she looked at the person being hidden from the door frame.

There was a loud thump as a silver faced man was dropped on the cot. Feliciano was overwhelmed by the metallic smell of blood.

"He was shot at the park," the man said. Feliciano could only make out the man's hair color because the man's back was to Feliciano. The man had dark locks curling outward in a messy bundle.

"Which park?" Lili asked removing the silver mask from the man on the cot. A sweaty, pale face looked up at Lili with a grin on his face even though his eyes said he was feeling a much different emotion. The way his jaw was set told Feliciano that he was in pain. He would recognize that emotion on anyone's face.

Lili began pulling her short hair into a ribbon to keep it out of the way as she worked. She stood up and walked over the sink pulling out a grey bottle. Feliciano could smell the antiseptic from where he was laying.

"You know the one," a third man that Feliciano hadn't seen said. "We're wearing our uniforms in case you didn't notice." He point to his face, his eyes covered by a golden mask with red embroidered swirls covering his eyes. "We were trying to sell off the snake I bought. The one that wouldn't sell." The man let out a loud groan before turning his back on the cot and walking towards the door. "Call me if Gil dies, I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Where are you going?" Lili growled, barely above a whisper as she washed her hands in the sink, putting on plastic gloves even though she had just washed her hands. She reached into a cabinet and pulled out a metal bowl, tongs, a curved needle and long string that oddly looked like fishing line.

"Where do you think? Lutz should know that his brother is in his ward," the man said swearing in French at the top of his lungs.

The guy blocking most of Feliciano's view sat down on the ground and held onto his friend's hand… The one that wasn't covered in blood.

The silver haired man was clutching his gut with red goop falling out. That must have been where he had been shot.

"Hey Lili no rush," the man on the cot said. "But can I get some pain killers? Or maybe some beer? I could use a little pick me up right about now. Or maybe something to dull the senses."

Lili nodded and reaching into a cabinet pulling out a syringe and vial.

It was interesting watching the meek little rabbit turn into the hungry wolf. In the two months that he had been in this room he had only seen Lili reading. But now she was in control of a chaotic situation. She had steady hands and a stone face. Feliciano had never thought of her as a doctor until now.

Lili tipped the syringe upside down and pushed up on the plunger until it began to cry some of the clear syrup. She felt up the man's arm before taking a cotton swab and pushing the needle into the man. She removed the needle and cleaned the tiny dot of blood away before turning to the gaping wound in front of her. She pulled his hand away and put a glove on it in a skilled motion.

"Don't you dare touch anything with that bloody hand," she muttered.

He nodded slowly for a moment of recognition before closing his eyes.

She shook her head and ripped open the man's shirt and reached for a bottle next to her. She cracked the seal on the cap and poured it all over the wound. A loud hiss of pain echoed in the silent room.

She opened a white envelope and removed a short blade. She cut a small "X" over the wound and looked inside the wound.

"You are so lucky that the bleeding is already slowing down Gil," she muttered.

"Yeah yeah," the man said in a hazy tone. He looked up and met Feliciano's eyes for a moment. "Toni your boyfriend is in the bed next to you." The man coughed out a laugh.

The man turned around with pine green eyes meeting Feliciano. The mask was a navy background with golden accents around the edges. It covered his entire face minus his mouth. His had a head of coal black hair, something that Feliciano felt like he should have remembered what it meant.

Feliciano looked deeper into the man's eyes and saw something he had never seen in such a big man before. Fear. This man was afraid of Feliciano for some reason that Feliciano didn't get.

"What's wrong?" he asked without realizing.

"Dios Mio," the man murmured. "Eso no es Lovino. Ese es su hermano. Dios mío. Feliciano está vivo ... mierda tengo que decirle a Lovino ahora?" That isn't Lovino. That's his brother. My God. Feliciano is alive... shit do I have to tell Lovino now?

"¿Cómo diablos voy a saberlo? Kes Kes Kes. Mi hermano está saliendo con él." How the fuck should I know? Kes Kes Kes. My brother is dating him.

Feliciano was confused, not remembering his spanish from the eighth grade. He knew he had taken a class or two but he hadn't had to use it in the past ten years so it was definitely rusty. His Italian he wasn't sure about.

The man stood up slowly and walked out the door mumbling something in English about needing some air.

Lili shook her head and pulled out the tongs that she had just cleaned off. "You're cruel Gil," she said reaching inside the man. "You know his boyfriend is a cop."

He groaned loudly as he felt something probing his insides without actually being able to actually feel it. It was unnatural and foreign to the man. He was unable to answer for a moment before he said, "Toni had to see Feli was alive. Toni is actually starting to fall in love with his boy toy. He needs to figure out where his loyalties lie in private."

"Henry won't hesitate to kill your friend you know," Lili said.

"My brother would totally hesitate. He would hesitate long enough to offer me the gun," Gil said with a cracked laugh.

Lili pulled out the tongs and dropping them in the dish next to her. She pulled out another white package and opened it to reveal a cotton swab covered in a piss colored swap. She put the swab in the wound before putting it back in the package. She took out the needle and fishing line and started to sew Gil shut.

Gil laughed and laid his head back on the pillow is slight comfort. He looked over at Feliciano and grinned at the man. "Why is Feli bound up on the bed?"

"Your brother's orders," Lili said not looking up from her work.

"Why'd he do that?"

"Feliciano came to us injured and in need of immediate medical attention," Lili said. "He wasn't a willing participant so I had him restrained for his and my own safety."

"Oooooh," Gil said extending the vowel in his mouth. He closed his eyes. "Can I go to sleep Lili?"

"So long as you haven't had a head injury," Lili said.

Not a minute later there was soft snoring coming from the cot.

"So he's Henry's brother," Feliciano said after a minute.

"Yes," Lili said getting out a cotton swab and covering it was a golden sap and rubbing the cut.

"I've seen him before," Feliciano said thinking about it. "He gave us clothes that very first day."

"Probably," Lili said. "He knew who you were now didn't he?" She removed put the equipment she used in a yellow bucket along with the gloves. She put on a new set of gloves before starting to clean off Gil's blood covered hand.

There was a soft knock at the door before a large man entered the room. "Is it true?" a deep voice asked. Feliciano stiffened recognizing it instantly. It was Henry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied; at this point there are only 9 chapters. This is as far as it's gotten at this point.


End file.
